For the LORD your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who shows no partiality and accepts no bribes. —Deuteronomy 10:17
I’m convinced that the letter of Nebuchadnezzar (the infamous and atrocious pagan King of Babylon) contains answers to all the questions we’re asking about the upcoming elections. Yes, I believe that Daniel 4 will reveal it all. But first, the elections themselves must be put in perspective.
The account in Daniel 4 is really about the king of earth (Nebuchadnezzar) and the King of heaven (God) and how they relate to one another. The same goes for an election. An election is really the story of the leaders of earth and the God of heaven and how they relate to each other.
No doubt, watching an election is like watching a tumultuous drama unfold on a huge national stage. And like a good Shakespearian play, we know that there will be pain, laughter, conflict, and plenty of blood and guts. We in the audience can only see what we can see from our seats. But this account in Daniel reminds us that there is more to the performance than what we observe with our senses—much more. Behind the scenes of chaos, there is an unseen Someone who wrote the script, designed the set, adjusted the lights, and is, in a mysterious supernatural way, directing every move on stage.
It’s my pleasure to tell you about the miraculous signs and wonders that the Most High God has performed for me. How great are his signs, how mighty his wonders! His kingdom is an eternal kingdom; his dominion endures from generation to generation. (Daniel 4:2-3)
Throughout his letter, the mighty earthly King Nebuchadnezzar loudly proclaims that our all-powerful God is “The Most High.” Read his letter in full, and you’ll see that he had to be seriously broken and deeply humbled by God before he was willing and able to embrace God for who He is.
In any election, that same perspective will help us keep our sanity. As the drama unfolds and escalates, the outcome may be a mystery and, in the end, will perhaps come as a shock to both the actors and the audience. But God is infinitely more mighty and wonderful than any earthly leader, and God’s kingdom is eternal and endures forever.
Regardless of the outcome of the election drama, some of us will interpret the ending as a tragedy; some of us will see it as a triumph. So be it. What we must keep in perspective is that sooner or later, every one of the actors and everyone in the audience will, like Nebuchadnezzar, proclaim that He is the Most High God.